The figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reveal that 4.3 per cent of Scottish students were unemployed six months after graduating compared to an average unemployment rate of 4 per cent.  

However this represents an improvement on the previous year when the rate of unemployment was 5 per cent for graduates.  Scottish graduate unemployment is also lower than the rest of the UK at 5.6 per cent.   

The statistics also show that the better the qualification the more likely the graduate is of being in employment.  Only 3.5 per cent of graduates who attained a first class degree were without work after six months compared to 4.6 per cent who received a 2:1.

The percentage of graduates assumed to be out of work varied according to the subject taken at university.  7.1 per cent of computer science graduates were assumed to be unemployed compared to just 0.1 per cent of medicine and dentistry graduates. 

The lecturers’ union, University College Union (UCU) responded to the figures advising that they should not put potential students off applying to university and argued that the university experience is about more than employment status six months after graduation. 

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “Although these figures reveal a slightly higher than average unemployment rate, they do not give the nature of employment and have been compiled just six months after graduation. The benefits of a university experience are vast and should not be reduced merely to employment status six months after leaving.

“The figures do suggest that hard work at university is rewarded on graduation as students with higher degrees appear more likely to find work. UCU is particularly concerned about the health of computer science. Although there has been a reduction in the number of unemployed computer science graduates over the last few years, almost 10% were unemployed six months after graduation. Worryingly, the numbers of students applying by March 2008 to study computer science degrees in 2008 was 13% lower than in 2007.”